I was pleased to learn about this middle school math lesson plan that uses math to show the improbability of evolution. (The main math concept is probability, along with large numbers and scientific notation, although others are also used.) While designed specifically for a public school setting, it could be easily adapted for Christian or homeschool. (Thank you, Mr. Karl Priest, for putting it together and letting me know about it!)
I especially loved the suggestion given to have students try to write tally marks to help drive home how much a million is. Coupled with quotes like the one below, it brings home the point that, even from a human reasoning perspective, evolution doesn’t make sense:
“Imagine 10^50 blind persons each with a scrambled Rubik cube, and try to conceive of the chance of them all simultaneously arriving at the solved form. You then have the chance of arriving by random shuffling of just one of the many biopolymers on which life depends. The notion that not only biopolymers but the operating programme of a living cell could be arrived at by chance in a primordial soup here on the Earth is evidently nonsense of a high order.” Fred Hoyle, “The Big Bang in Astronomy”, New Scientist, Vol. 92, No. 1280 (1981): p.527
I would just add that evolution and creation can’t be proved—they occurred in the past. The issue ultimately comes down to faith, and that faith shouldn’t rest in our human reasoning of probability, but in the Word of the God who was there and has told us what happened. However, math does show us how even from a human reasoning perspective, evolution doesn’t make sense…and this lesson plan does a wonderful job showing that.
As the cartoon at the end of the lesson plan (and shown here) reminds us, you can’t reason someone into the kingdom of heaven. God has to do a work to change a heart. Let’s make sure we’re sharing the gospel with people as we remind them that creation clearly proclaims a Creator.
Note: If you’re stuck on how to begin sharing the gospel, check out the free resources at LivingWaters.com. He has a lot of helpful training materials to help.
I’m a sinner saved by grace through Jesus Christ. I’m also a writer—I’ve been writing ever since I could hold a pen. I…
“….you can’t reason someone into the kingdom of heaven. God has to do a work to change a heart. Let’s make sure we’re sharing the gospel with people as we remind them that creation clearly proclaims a Creator.” and referencing the cartoon. I completely agree, and further…
Reason is a good way to scrape the calluses of the mind–to excite and motivate the/ones curiosity. Isaiah 1:18 mentions; “come let us reason together…though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow”. This verse clearly hints that God has a plan and that it is reasonable (different from the world…of course) and that reason is mentioned before the hint that God’s plan will trump sin. There is also mention (verse?) that we should seek wisdom (in our youth), that we are to test everything and hold on to what is good/(true too?). Jerimiah 33:3 “call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know”. Clearly God is wise in the extreme and knowledge of His creation is a prime conduit to relationship (with God and) with the secular worldview. The Bible also mentions that God will change our hearts (remove your heart of stone and give you a new heart and cause you to follow my ways). Roman 12:2 mentions that we are to not conform to the pattern of this world but rather be transformed by a renewing of your mind. We have the responsibility to renew our mind God then changes the heart. The mind and the heart must be on the same wavelength not be unequally yoked in thought or knowledge or wisdom. We have too large a brain for any Darwinian effort to be responsible for—we have such a large brain because we are to steward the earth in partnership with God…but we; ‘ate the fruit’ and destroyed the relationship. We still have the ability to do knowledge without sinning (with the Holy Spirits guidance via conscience). If God changes the mind and the heart then we are meat robots with no ability to say no to God Grace and Christs Love. Love with no option is not love but rather rape. God loves us enough to let us go—He will respect our decision because doing so IS love. The problem with the (cartoon) quote is the: word “you” in “…you can’t reason someone into the kingdom of heaven.” WE do not change the mind of anyone…this is a personal decision of reason between the person and God’s Spirit. If we have ANY responsibility for the conversion (change) of one’s mind to Gods’ creation (and salvation VIA Christ) then we will also deal with pride (we cannot handle pride—it is poison to us). What we Christians should do is instill/cultivate the curiosity by engaging the mind through reasonable science (all information points to ultimate intelligence: no God then no science; we have science then God is its source!) and act as ambassadors for Christ in God’s plan of salvation via His Grace and the blood of Jesus to pay for our broken relationship (our sin). We are poisoned—we do not work right. Christ is the antidote/medicine.